When the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award was announced and the trophy wasn’t headed Draymond Green’s way, the first question on everyone’s mind was, “How is Draymond going to handle this?” Would he send a fire-filled tweet? Would he flex his usual sarcastic charm in front of the media? Nope. In true Draymond fashion, he flipped the script, completely surprising fans and analysts alike.

The 2024 Defensive Player of the Year award went to Evan Mobley of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and while many fans expected Green to throw a little shade or share his usual self-assured commentary, he went the unexpected route: humility.

In a moment of uncharacteristic self-restraint, Green took to social media with a congratulatory message that could’ve been pulled straight from an NBA sportsmanship manual. “Congratulations to Evan Mobley. Incredible young player… It’s always great to see young guys get their due in this league.” No jabs. No passive-aggressive comments. Just pure respect.

While this might sound like standard fare for any other player, for Green, it’s like finding out he actually has a secret soft side. The man who thrives on confrontation and thrives even more on bringing the noise in every game—whether it’s trash-talking, post-game rants, or, as we’ll get to shortly, flaring tempers—actually acknowledged Mobley’s talent without any undercurrent of frustration. We were almost expecting a “Yeah, Mobley deserved it, but I’ve been doing this for years” kind of comment. Instead, it was the ultimate curveball: maturity.

But still, the question remains: how did the guy who’s been the backbone of one of the NBA’s most dominant defensive teams handle coming in third place? Let’s just say it didn’t result in any dramatic tantrums.

But wait, there’s drama—Draymond Green and Jalen Green’s playoff showdown

Hold up, though, because Draymond Green is never far from controversy, and the last few days were no exception. Just hours after his respectful acknowledgment of Mobley’s win, Green found himself in yet another altercation, this time with Houston Rockets’ Jalen Green. Cue the dramatic music.

Now, if you’re keeping track, this isn’t the first time the two have gotten under each other’s skin. In fact, their history goes all the way back to Game 2, when Green took an elbow to the face from Jalen while the two were battling for position. That physicality set the stage for Game 3—and, as expected, Draymond was right in the thick of it again, this time taking his taunting to a whole new level.

Following a big Warriors win, Draymond, in classic Draymond fashion, started running his mouth, targeting not just the Rockets as a whole, but Jalen Green specifically. In an effort to taunt his opponent, Draymond told Jalen to “paint his nails,” a comment that sent Green into a fiery rage. The intensity of the exchange escalated to the point where the security had to intervene. No punches were thrown, but the tension was so palpable that you could almost taste it.

But here’s where it gets good—Jalen, keeping his cool just enough for a postgame comment, took a dig at Green. “Just talking. He can’t really do much of anything else, so talking is his only way,” he said. If the irony wasn’t apparent, we’re not sure what else could be. Jalen, after all, isn’t exactly a defensive juggernaut, and Draymond’s physical presence is exactly what keeps his team in contention.

So, here we are: Draymond Green, the NBA’s emotional catalyst, not only maintaining his defensive prowess but also showing—surprise, surprise—restraint when it counts. His reaction to Mobley’s DPOY win was a testament to maturity, but make no mistake, the drama surrounding Green is never too far off. His feud with Jalen Green is proof that, even if Green doesn’t win every personal accolade, he’s still going to be the loudest (and perhaps most entertaining) player on the court.

As the Warriors continue their playoff push, all eyes are on Draymond—whether he’s deflecting praise or instigating the next big rivalry. And when it comes to Green, one thing is clear: it’s never just about basketball. It’s about the drama, the controversy, and of course, his ability to go crazy—on the court and off.